Billie White

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

I peeped behind the drapes, and checked the weather for a suitable outfit. It was nine, and the opposite houses were lacking their usual dose of sunshine. My eyes rolled up to the sky, to see crowds of white cloud, clogging up the blue.

The window exhaled cool air, and the breath coated my nose as my own, condensed on the window. “Billie?” I spun round, to see my mom standing in my doorway. Her greying hair had been tied up into a bun, and she wore a plain black dressed which hugged her nicely. The corners of her eyes crinkled up, into a smile and eventually her lips did as well.

“Hey, mom,” I said, not caring that she was seeing me in my underwear. She sat down on my messed up bed, and I made my way beside her, sucking in my stomach as I sat. She took one of her aging hands, and placed it over mine. Her long fingers wrapped round my own, and she squeezed it tight.

“You okay?”

I shrugged, “why?” I swallowed as my mom’s fingers, loosened. 

“Yesterday, at dinner ...” she began and ran a pink tongue over her lips. “You were quiet, and when I came home I found you sitting out on the porch, with the blanket round you.” I shrugged again, but my mom held me on an invisible lead, and wouldn’t let me go. I used every essence of secrecy I had, and put it all into looking under my lashes. Lines of age were recreated on the corners of my mom’s mouth, and more appeared when she assured me with a smile. “What happened, Billie?” she asked gently, then slunk her arm round my shoulders and pulled me into her chest. I breathed in Dior, and closed my eyes as she began to run my bare arm.

“Roman’s upset,” I mumbled and my mom sighed, then squeezed my arm gently.

“Did he tell you why?”

“Well,” I began, “he said it’s because his mom. is asking his dad for money ... I have this feeling though, that there’s more. He wasn’t acting like his usual self.” My mom’s chest vibrated, and she ran a loving hand once again, up and down my arm.

“So you know him now? Have you two, been sneaking out at night?”

“No, mom, we haven’t,” I muttered and she chuckled.

“Billie, I think you should just concentrate on bring up, Roman’s mood. Have you told him, about dad?”

“No,” I mumbled guiltily.

“Exactly. He’ll tell you when he’s ready, okay?” I pressed my hand on her upper chest, as in indication to let me go. My mom’s arms slipped down my arm, like silk and she gave me a smile. “You alright, now?”

I nodded, and sighed, “yeah, thanks mom.” I flashed her a small, yet sincere smile and she equally returned one.

“Great,” she started, then eyed me up and down. I felt myself blush lightly, and my fingers hooked underneath the black strap of my bra, and paced up and down my skin. “Are you going anywhere, or staying at home?” She glanced at the clock and sighed. “If you are going out late, I’ll probably be back late if I don’t fit in enough work before twelve.”

“Roman said he’d pick me up ... he didn’t say when, but I’m guessing around ten,” I said and she nodded. My mom got up, and smoothed out her dress.

“Don’t wind yourself up, alright Billie?” my mom said, as she made her way to the door.

“I won’t,” I promised and flopped on my bed, keeping my ears alert until the front door slammed. I looked over at the clock, to see it wasn’t even ten past.